Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-08-13
THE PRESS AND THE PULPIT.

PtOSACcciNO WdhO up Va
community or its old time drag-along
composition, can be foretold by a
glance at its papers or taste of its
sermons. Many of the Western
cities of ten and twenty years.
growth are represented by a pro-
gressive stage of journalism not at.
tanned by their eastern centenarian
sisters. The pulpit catches the
spirit of progress and breaches the
modern christianity of . live aud let
live" while the apostolic divines
around many a theological alma
mater are belching forth fire and
birthstone at each other over imma.
terial points OF doctrine, and filling
the public prints with grave spirit.
nalis.ic contentious that soothe NO
weary soul aud fill no empty stom.
acb. There is more personal, politi
Cal and religious contention through
the border states of the North, East
and South than through the vast
area OF western settlements. The
reason is PLAIN; where there is moth
ing else to do, men fall into disput
ing among themselves, and the
higher the state of mental perfec.
ton the more stalk and the less
work. Boston is the hub of every
mental and physical attainment
but its capital must find investment
elsewhere, and its social tramps On
Y. too) must promenade on less aes
thetic soil.
A personal press denotes little en-
terprise and a depraved taste that
is infectious. There are times when
a healthy body polite demands a
vigorous protest against corrupt per
sonal and political abuses that
threaten the public good, but to keep
up perpetual din and trade for
ten and twenty years against every.
body and everything that fail to
have letters patent from its imperial
will, is proof conclusive of a hamper
ed press, and a hampered commu-
nifty. 1t reflects upon the people,
prevents settlement and investment,
and walls in a town or city with
walls of prejudice and adversely. A
progressive press opens wide its
gates, the people take up the initia-
tive, and prosperity enters with
arms extended. A personal or ser
vile sheet narrows itself down to
SELF OR NOTHING, the people take
sides with suspicion aroused; the
business and social life is cut up and
discouraged from spreading out and
attracting that attention which is
necessary to insure increased pros
perity.
BUSINESS should control the press,
not personal and political ends as is
too much the case in towns of slow
growth and GRACE and SALVATION
the pulpit, not social distinctions
and worldly favor which we see in
churches in which temporal rivalry
is stronger than religious fervor.
Why should whole community be
made to suffer by the rushing into
print" of the petty personal or
political grievances, failures and dis.
appointments of a few selfish NAL.
contents who would ruin every.
thing to have their own wayf
Why should whole congregation
suffer spiritual Generalization and
religious standardization from an in.
censed pulpit, because a few for.
sooth believing in the faith preach.
ed, deny the conduct practiced and
the sentiment and authority main
tanned by the church in matters of
oYery day life. A personal pulpit
makes pharisees out of publicans,
and publicans out of pharisees how,
then, shall We know them by their
frnitsi If we hang grapes upon
thorns, and nettles upon the fig tree,
every hand that would pluck che
good fruit will be sorely wounded
by the bad. Better point ont each
bad tree by name, that the good
christian soul may not he afflicted
with doubt and fall by the wayside
of temptation, as our Mother of old.
If only too true our own " Amen - is
reached by this sinners unerring
aim, then be it so and not other.
wise.
The intelligence and discretion of
the people alone can remedy the
evils of personal press and per-
sonal pulpit; and where the press
and the pulpit fail to elevate and
enlighten their people by word and
example, the people should elevate
the press and the pulpit out of exis-
tence on the moral tip Of their boot
of support.